Strand forming apparatus



STRAND F Oct. 22, 1946.

C. EWALDSON ORMING AP Filed March 15 PARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 INVENTOR mg. EWALDSON TTO RNEY Oct. 22, 1946. w EWALDSQN 2,409,670

, STRAND FORMING APPARATUS Fi] .ed March 15, 19,45 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TTORNEY Patented Oct. 22,1946

" UN TED STATES PATE T OFFICE i Waldemar C. Ewaldson, Millington, .N.J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York; N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 15, 1945','seria1 No. 582,970

1 invention relates to strand forming apparatus, and more particularly toapparatus for forming switchboar'dcables. i r

i In the manufactureof switchboard equipment, it has been found advantageous to provide the cables, with their groups of electrical conductors which are to complete the necessary electrical connections with the various electrical units, to be substantially fiat and with given dimensions so that they may be easily positioned in the switchboard structures consumin a minimum of space therein. 7

An object of the invention is to provide a strand forming apparatus which is simple in structure andhighly efficient in compressing strands into predetermined cross sectional contours of given thicknesses. f I

With this and other ob'jectsin View, the invention comprises a strand forming apparatus particularly adapted for forming cables andincluding a rotatable roller with afixed axis, cooperating with a companion roller, the latter being mounted on a movable axis, parallel to the fixed axis and under a predetermined variable pressure to compress a strand into a given cross sectional contour duringthe advancement of the strand.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein "Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one species of theinventionj Fig. 2 a 'front elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, portions thereof being broken away while others are shown in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the dial and pointer of the structureshown in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of another species of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectionalview taken along the 1ines'55 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is first directed to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. The species of the invention shown in these figures includes a the roller M by extending between the end members I 5, is rdtatably mountedupon a shaft 2|,

9, Claims. (01. 28-1) 2 the ends of the latter being supported in parallel members 22 of a lever 23. The shaft 2| is fixed in position by a set screw 24. The lever 23 is pivotally mounted upon a shaft 26, the outer ends of which are mounted in apertures in the sides I I. An upwardly projecting arm 21 of the lever .23 supports a cam block 28 which is positioned to ride upon the periphery of a cam 39. The cam 36 is mounted upon a shaft 3| and has a peripheral contour as illustrated in Fig. l with the peripheral surface thereof beginning at a low portion 32, and having acons'ta nt rise to its highest portion 33. The shaft3l is j-ournalled in suitable bearings 34 in the sides II, and has a dial 35 fixedly mounted upon the forward end thereof. The dial 35 is divided adjacent its periphery by graduations 3'6 which are to indicate one hundredths of aninchthe thickness to which the strand or material is to be reduced while passing between the rollers M and 2!). The graduations 36 are therefore spaced proportionately to the varying contour of the cam 30 so that, by positioning a given graduation adjacent a pointer.38,..it will be known "that a given portion of the cam surface 39*wi11 be adjacent the cam block 28 to locate the roller 21] a selected measured distance from th roller .14. The dial 315 is provided with a handle 35, by the :aid of which it may be manually rotated in either direction relative to the pointer 38. The pointer 38 is mounted upon a housing 40 which is a part of the cover I2. The housing 40 includes aplunger 4| positioned to engage the back of the dial 35 and apply a predetermined braking or holding force to the dial through the aid of a spring 42. The spring 42 isdisposed in the housingand in "the hollow end of the plunger M. Its force may be varied through the actuation of an adjusting screw 3 threadedly disposed in a nut PM which closes the end of the housing 40.

Pressure means is provided to normally hold the rollerJZil the selected measured distance from the roller 1'4. This means includes a spring 46 which rests upon a member 41, the latter being disposed upon the free end of the lever 23 and connected thereto as indicatedat 48. An adjustable screw 43 threadedl'y disposed in an aperture 50 of the cover I2 is provided to vary the force in the spring to be applied to the lever 23 and, through it, to the roller 20. V i Considering now the operation. of this species of thinvention, the strand or material to be formed is what is known as switchboard cable having a contour, after the assembling of the insulated electrical conductors in a sheath of selected materialswhich is round or oval in cross section. More specifically the switchboard cable may be either one of two forms; one, the normally round form and the other, normally oval form. The round form includes a group of insulated electrical conductors, their insulations being of a chosen group of color combinations, which after being brought together in a cable forming machine, are tied or bound together by a spiral textile wrapping, after which a double spiral wrapping of paper is applied. Over the paper, a spiral wrapping of metal foil is added and then another double spiral wrapping of paper, after which a longitudinal wrapping of a corrugated tape is applied and finally abraided covering of textile material. The cable in this condition is then passed through a bath of paint or other suitable material and after the cable has been allowed to dry, it is advanced between the rollers l4 and 20. In the other form of cable, shown in the drawing, the chosen group of electrical conductors with their insulated coverings of selected code colors are served spirally about a pressboard core which is a strip of flexible material approximately 1%" wide. The wires are secured to the core by spiral textile serving, after which a desired number of spiral servings of paper tape are applied, over which the longitudinal forming of the corrugated tape and the braided textile covering are applied. This cable is also passed through the paint bath and after drying it is in readiness to pass between the rollers l4 and I5. In either instance,- it is desirable that the cable be reduced in thickness so that its space back of the switchboard will be no greater than the thickness of the jack strip to which its conductors are to be connected, These cables, therefore, serve to connect the terminals of the jack strips of one switchboard unit to the terminals of a similar jack strip of another switchboard unit. As the strand or cable, indicated at 52, is advanced between the guide members 53, it will be reduced in thickness, as illustrated in Fig. 2, to the chosen dimension. It is natural to assume that a cable of a given structure when reduced to a chosen thickness will have a given width as the material of the cable will flow laterally between the rollers to an overall width, depending first upon the quantity of material in the cable, and the distance of the rollers I4 and 20 from'each other. Therefore, as the material or cable is formed as it advances between the fixed roller l4 and the roller 23, the latter, although variable in this instance, remains at a fixed position under normal conditions unless there should be an abnormal quantity of material at a portion in the strand of cable. When such a condition exists, the roller .20.,may be moved with the lever 23 about the axis of the shaft 26 and against the force present in the spring 46 until the abnormal, portion in the strand or cable has passed from between the rollers. When this condition occurs, the apparatus will automatically reset itself, the roller ZOreturning to the selected position with respect to the roller I4 so that the remainder of the strand or cable will be reduced to the chosen dimension. There is nodetrimental disturbance to the cable during its advancement between the rollers l4 and 20. During the initial forming of the cable, particularly the servingof the conductor wires spirally about the pressboard core, the resilient nature of the conductors will tend to cause them to project outwardly wherever possible to create an oval cross-sectional contour for the cable. The pressure applied to the cable will move these outwardly projecting portions of the convolutions of the conductors in close proximity to the pressboard core and cause them to be set in this position without damaging the insulating coverings on the conductors or the layers of material surrounding the conductors.

If a different type of strand or cable is to be formed, the apparatus may be adjusted to vary the desired distance between the rollers l4 and 20 by rotating the dial 35 through the aid of the handle 39 until the selected indications on the dial have been moved into registration with the pointer 38. During this movement of the dial relative to the braking or holding means, the cam 30 in moving relative to the cam block 32 causes movement of'the lever 23 about its pivot 26, and therefore varies the position of the roller 20 a measured distance indicated by the dial at t e pointer from the roller M. The apparatus is now in condition for operation, which operation may be performed in the same manner as previously described through the advancement of the material between the rollers.

The species of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is identical with that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 with the exception of the handle 39 and the braking means including the plunger 4|, the housing 42, and the other structure embodied therein. In place of the housing 40, a plate is fixed to the adjacent side H, by suitable means such as screws SI, and supports a pointer 62 positioned to register with indications 63 and 64 on a dial B5. The dial 65 is mounted upon a shaft 66 which supports a cam (not shown) identical with the cam 30. Associated with the cam, is a structure identical with that shown in Figs. land 2. It will be understood therefore that variations in the position of the dial G5 with respect to its pointer 62 will cause variations in the position of a roller such as 20 with respect to a roller such as l4, for reducing the thickness of a strand or material to a given thickness and therefore to a given width.

The dial 65 is apertured at 61 to receive a mem ber 68, the latter having an eccentrically disposed aperture 69 therein. A rod T0 is disposed in the aperture and is keyed in place as at H for axial movement in the aperture and for connection with the member so that rotation of the rod will cause rotation of the member in its aperture 61. A handle or gripping portion 12 is mounted upon the outer end of the rod 10 while the inner end has a reduced portion 13 receivable in any selected one of a multiplicity of grooves 14 in the plate 60. Through the aid of a spring 75, the rod :0 is normally urged to the right to force the end 13 into a selected one of the grooves 14.

t is possible, however, to move the rod through the aid of the handle 12 to remove the end 13 from any groove 14 in which it is disposed. The grooves or recesses 14 are of like given widths substantially equal to the diameter of the end 13 and disposed radially about the shaft -66 so that their longitudinal center lines Will lie in radial planes with the indications 63.

the :pointer. To obtain a finer adjustment, after the selected main indication 63 has been positioned adjacent the pointer 62, the handle may be rotated to rotate the pointer 11 to register with any of the indications 80, that is, from the zero to the nine (9) position to cause the member 68 to continue movement of the dial an additional distance and through a finer adjustment which is divided into /1000 of an inch, to further vary the measured distance of the roller 20 from the roller [4. Thus, with this species of the invention, the same result may be accomplished as has been described in connection with the species shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, but with a finer adjustment of the position of the roller 25 with respect to the roller [4.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a companion roller, an element to support the companion roller, means to support the element for movement of the companion roller relative to the main roller, a cam actuable to move the element to move the companion roller to positions measured distances from the main roller,

whereby a strand advancedbetween the rollers will be reduced to a thickness equaling the dis tance between the rollers, and resilient means to normally urge the element to engage the cam.

2. A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a companion roller, an element to support the companion roller, means to support the element for movement of the companion roller relative to the main roller, a cam actuable to move the element to move the companion roller to positions measured distances from the main roller, whereby a strand advanced between the rollers will be reduced to a thickness equaling the distance between the rollers, and resilient means to normally urge the element to engage the cam means to actuate the cam.

3. A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a companion roller, an element to support the companion roller, means to support the element for movement of the companion roller relative to the main roller, a cam actuable to move the element to move the companion roller to positions measured distances from the main roller,

whereby a strand advanced between the rollers will be reduced to a thickness equaling the distance between the rollers, a fixed pointer, and a dial movable with the cam and relative to the pointer to indicate the distance between the rollers.

4. A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a companion roller, an element to support the companion roller, means to support the ele ment for movement of the companion roller relative to the main roller, a cam actuable to move the element to move the companion roller to positions measured distances from the main roller whereby a strand advanced between the rollers will be reduced to a thickness equaling the distance between the rollers, a fixed pointer, a dial movable with the cam and relative to the pointer to indicate the distance between the rollers, and means cooperating with the dial to hold the cam at any selected position relative to the element.

5. A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a companion roller, an element to support the companion roller, means to support the element for movement of the companion roller relative to the main roller,- a cam actuable to move the element to move the companion roller to positions measured distances from the main roller, whereby a strand advanced between the rollers will be reduced to a thickness equaling the distance between the rollers, and means to normally hold the element in engagement with the cam.

6. A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a companion roller, an element to support the companion roller, means to support the element for movement of the companion roller relative to the main roller, a cam actuable to move the element to move the companion roller to positions measured distances from the main roller, whereby a strand advanced between the rollers will be reduced to a thickness equaling the distances between the rollers, and variable resilient means to normally urge the element into engagement with the cam.

7; A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a companion roller mounted upon an axis movable relative to the said fixed axis, a pointer, a dial movable relative to the pointer to indicate in given fractional dimensions the distance between the rollers, means operable by the movement of the dial to control the position of the companion roller relative to the main roller, a handle to move the dial, and means under the control of the handle to latch the dial in any of a plurality of selected positions.

8. A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a companion roller mounted upon an axis movable relative to the said fixed axis, a pointer, a dial movable relative to the pointer to indicate in given fractional dimensions the distance between the rollers, means operable by the movement of the dial to control the position of the companion roller relative to the main roller, a handle to move the dial, means under the control of the handle to latch the dial in any of a plurality of selected positions, and means operable by movement of the handle relative to the dial to further vary the distance of the companion roller from the main roller for finer fractional dimensions.

9. A strand forming apparatus comprising a main roller mounted for rotation on a fixed axis, a companion roller, a support therefor movable relative to the said fixed axis, a Variable stop to limit the movement of the support and the movable roller to predetermined variable positions relative to the main roller, and resilient means to normally urge the support toward and into engagement with the stop to force the companion roller into any selected one of the positions, whereby a strand advanced between the rollers will be reduced to a thickness equaling the distance between the rollers.

WALDEMAR C. EWALDSON. 

